


Never Lost Never Found

by GulliblePineapples (BooStar)



Category: Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Drama, M/M, Modern AU, Romance, Secrets, Ultimis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 22:40:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 11,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18270629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooStar/pseuds/GulliblePineapples
Summary: Receiving a text message early in the morning was just part of a normal day for Tank Dempsey - but when that text message is from your old friend Edward Richtofen, a friend you haven't heard from for 2 years, life stops being normal.Welcome to a world where secrets never remain buried, even when they should.~ Updated Whenever I Have Time ~





	1. And So, It Begins.

Slowly getting out of bed, Dempsey picked up his phone and stared blankly at the screen. The words burnt into his eyes and stung his brain.

 

"It's been ages since we met up. Interested?"

 

He knew that phone number too well; Edward Richtofen's phone number. Dempsey hadn't contacted the man for two years. For two whole years, the group (consisting of Edward Richtofen, Tank Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski, and Takeo Masaki) had been completely disbanded. All they knew about each other now was just information they'd heard from friends - which meant nobody had heard anything about Dempsey for over a year. His only remaining friend left the city and never contacted him, or the group, again.

 

Adjusting his tie, Dempsey abandoned his thoughts. He was already dressed and ready to go to work, faking a smile in the mirror as if he actually cared about his job. All he had in life was a car and a boring office job, which always involved making charts and graphs for statistics he would immediately forget at the end of the day. Picking up his car keys, he wondered why Richtofen had sent him a text; did he want to get the group back together? Was he in legal trouble again? Did he just want to talk to an old friend? No. Dempsey knew it would be something important - if it was something small, he would've just explained it in the text. Besides, it would only be a few hours out of Dempsey's day, and he certainly didn't have any plans for his free time. Hesitating slightly, he typed his reply:

 

"Sure. I know where to find you."


	2. Nice To Meet You Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I got a feeling it will all work out  
> I'm on the right track  
> There's no going back"  
> ~  
> 'Define Me' by Red Vox

Another boring day of work finally ending, Dempsey wandered over to Richtofen's natural habitat: a dodgy nightclub called "The Aether". Almost everyone who went into that club had more money than sense, and probably a criminal record too. Entering the club, Dempsey was blasted with electronic music, pink and blue neon lights, and the scent of cheap drinks filled with artificial sweeteners. His eyes scanned the room, people on the dance floor blurring into a mess of lights and movement, and people at the bar looking like statues, perfectly still as they waited for their drinks to be served. Despite all the people, the lights, the life around him, Dempsey could perfectly see Richtofen's bright blue eyes staring at the dance floor from behind his pink sunglasses, with a smug grin on his face and a bottle of root beer in his left hand. He noticed Dempsey and smiled brightly, his pure white teeth almost glowing in the dim lights,

 

"Dempsey, come over here!" signalling for Dempsey to sit next to him, Richtofen called him over.

 

With a slightly nervous smile, Dempsey made his way through the room and sat down next to Richtofen, being very careful to not accidentally knock any bottles of root beer off the nearby table,

 

"It's been a long time, Richtofen." Dempsey began, "But I'm sure you didn't ask me to meet up with you just so we can discuss our lives." Laughing quietly, Richtofen gave Dempsey a kind but also amused look and explained:

 

"It's nice to see you too. Honestly, you're both right and wrong at the same time - I did want to meet up with you to discuss things other than our lives, yes, but at the same time I am very curious about how your life's going at the moment." Richtofen was only ever this calm when something was terribly wrong; so upon hearing the relaxed tone in his voice, Dempsey began to worry.

 

"My life? Not much really. Boring job, boring car, boring apartment which isn't worth the money I pay for it..." he paused for a second to collect his thoughts, "Nah, sorry, my life... isn't too bad. I'm sure some people would be fine with how I live but, y'know. I just feel like I should be doing more with my life."

 

Noticing the sadness in his words, Richtofen quickly put a new bottle of root beer down and hugged Dempsey.

 

"I'm sorry to hear that." He mumbled, before letting Dempsey go. "But perhaps you'll be interested in what I wanted to discuss, if you feel so strongly about your current situation."

 

The entire room around them seemed nonexistent, the lights feeling as natural as sunlight and the music sounding too distant to bother anyone. It always felt this way when they spoke to each other. Dempsey had missed that feeling for a very long time, but now it had returned, and suddenly he felt like it had never disappeared. Richtofen continued speaking - he never gave anyone a chance to reply or react to his words until he was done speaking.

 

"So, as you remember, I expanded the business, made even more money, and then changed things a little so I wouldn't have to interact with the business unless it was urgent - but, of course, still gain money from it." Dempsey still wasn't sure how Richtofen made so much money. He'd inherited his family's old business which focused on manufacturing a wide variety of items, and branched out into other industries. Sure, the business was incredibly successful, but Dempsey couldn't work out how Richtofen appeared to have infinite amounts of money. He never complained about financial issues, he would happily spend millions of dollars in the blink of an eye... almost everyone in the world had a feeling he was hiding something. A few years ago, the magical infinite funds were coming from bank robberies executed by Richtofen and his group. Now, despite the group not being together any more, the funds were still flooding in.

 

"Well, a few important people are going to be retiring soon, so I need to find people to replace them. This is where you, my dear Dempsey, come into this: I've offered the other two soon-to-be-empty positions to Nikolai and Takeo, but I've saved a special space just for you. I remember how loyal to me you used to be when the group was together, even if you did question my instructions all the time. So, you can be in charge of organising very important documents. Keeping top-secret information safe for my business can be your job, if you're interested." Without a second of hesitation, Dempsey snapped out of his thoughts and snapped up the opportunity he had been offered:

 

"Sure! That would be amazing. Anything to get me out of my old job." He laughed quietly, already thinking about how much more money he would probably begin making compared to his old job.

 

"Wonderful. I can't wait to work with you again, old friend." Richtofen replied, standing up and shaking Dempsey's hand, "I already spoke to your old boss before you arrived. He's sad to see you go, but happy you're working for my business. You can start work tomorrow, if you feel like it." With a smug but happy grin, he began walking to the bar, but quickly turned around to say:

 

"I'm going to get another root beer, and I'll get one for you as well. You deserve to celebrate your new job!"


	3. Staring Blankly At Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And never in my wildest dreams  
> Has it occurred to me to try to go to sleep"  
> ~  
> 'Pattern' by The Last Shadow Puppets

Edward Richtofen stumbled into his house at 11pm that night, too tired to walk without nearly falling over. Eyes half open, he slowly entered his bedroom and sat down on his bed - his mind replaying small clips of the day he'd just been through. Tomorrow he'd be working with Tank Dempsey again, but this time as businessmen instead of criminals. Now his mind wandered back through time to his old memories of the group, just four people trying to make enough money to achieve their goals in life, working together to rob the richest banks Richtofen knew about. Of course, he'd created the group entirely for his own personal gain; he didn't want to look after his family's business, but he didn't have enough money to make the business so successful it would basically run itself while Richtofen gained all the money from it. Staring blankly at the ceiling, he remembered how quickly his plan fell apart as soon as he gained enough money to be happy with disbanding the group. Expanding the business went well, and everything ran smoothly for a while - until someone made an error when typing out finance-related documents, causing the business to lose large amounts of money. He didn't know what to do, he panicked and worried for dozens of sleepless nights, so he-

 

His thoughts were dragged away from him suddenly by his phone making a noise, telling him he'd received a text from Dempsey. Barely able to see the words on the screen due to tiredness, he squinted and read the text:

 

"It's been really nice to see you again, I'm very excited to start working with you." Richtofen smiled gently, typing out a reply with a similar level of happiness and excitement. Placing his phone on the desk next to his bed, he picked up some random clothes and got changed, now ready to sleep. Despite his best efforts, sleep always took a long time to come to him, often refusing to allow him more than 6 hours of sleep. Worries and fears plagued his mind for the majority of the restless night, before he finally allowed his physical tiredness to consume him and make him drift away into sleep.


	4. And Then, Everything Went Wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Are you the Devil, or an angel?  
> Something 'bout you that I want to know"  
> ~  
> 'Devils Angels' by Unloved

Sunlight finally beginning to drag tired people from deep slumbers, 6am arrived with the sound of alarm clocks and car engines; as people woke up and drove to their workplace. Richtofen had already been awake for a little while, and wished he could return to his nice, warm bed for a few more hours of sleep. Normally he would hurry back to his bed and resume any dreams he had left paused; but just for this day, the dreams would have to wait a little bit longer. Today, Tank Dempsey began working for Edward Richtofen. At least, that was how Richtofen expected the day to go.

 

Dempsey's apartment was only a few minutes away, and Richtofen remembered exactly where it was. He thought it'd be fun to visit Dempsey's apartment on his first day of work; a little surprise visit from his new employer and old friend. Expecting smiles and surprised laughter, he was saddened by what he saw - Dempsey was sat on the pavement just outside his apartment, one hand wiping tears from his eyes while the other held onto a small plastic bag as if his life depended on it. Richtofen parked his expensive bright purple sports car very close to where Dempsey was sat, alarming the man a little.

 

"Watch where you're driving next time, you-" he choked out his surprised and annoyed comments between poorly-concealed sobs, regretting his words as soon as he realised Richtofen was the person who had just parked dangerously close to him.

 

"Hell. I'm sorry. I didn't know that was you driving." Eyes filled with tears, his voice shook slightly as he apologised. Helping him stand up from sitting down for hours on the pavement, Richtofen felt genuinely concerned and asked Dempsey why he was upset. Taking quiet and shaky breaths, he explained:

 

"I've been in debt to someone for quite a while, and I ran out of time to pay them back. So to pay off the debt, they kicked me out of my apartment and took my car." As soon as the man stopped to breathe, Richtofen began furiously firing questions around.

 

"Who would have the nerve to do such a thing?! What kind of monster could do this to a person like you?!" Dempsey thought carefully about the questions as he got into Richtofen's car, finally mumbling out an answer.

 

"Someone who doesn't fear consequences. Someone powerful." With that vaguely concerning statement, he looked into the plastic bag he was carrying. It contained personal belongings he'd managed to retrieve before being kicked out - 'personal belongings' consisting of some spare clothes and an old watch he'd been wanting to fix for quite a few years. Richtofen sat in the driver's seat, and knew exactly which question to ask Dempsey next:

 

"Do you want to just go out, party, and neglect your problems?" He immediately received a cheer of agreement from Dempsey. Maybe some time in The Aether would make him forget his problems.

 

Time passed quickly, and soon they were sitting in the corner of the club, burying Dempsey's sadness in loud music and cheap root beer. Richtofen could see the pain and anger in his eyes, and wondered what could be done to make this situation less terrible.

 

"You could stay at my house for a while, if you want to." Smiling kindly, he adjusted his sunglasses, "Although I entirely understand if you don't want to!" With a heavy sigh, Dempsey put his empty bottle of root beer on the table in front of him, and rubbed his tired eyes.

 

"Yeah. That sounds good, thanks." He stood up and declared: "I'm going to dance for a while. I need to focus on something other than my problems." Richtofen watched him walk away, eventually joining the large crowd of dancers. Normally he would've followed him, becoming lost in the music; but he had too much to think about today. Who was Dempsey in debt to? Why? Who would be brave enough to take incredibly important possessions away from a friend of Edward Richtofen? Hearing the nearby music slowly change into one of his favourite songs, he left his questions at the table and moved closer to the dance floor. Eyes scanning the large area of dancers, he eventually saw Dempsey. At the same time, Dempsey had noticed him. They stared at each other, Richtofen grinning slightly and Dempsey showing very little emotion. That stare told them everything they needed to know. This was the beginning of something. A journey. An adventure. Soon questions would be asked, and utter mayhem would be unleashed. Richtofen was always hiding dark secrets, and he was always in some kind of trouble.

 

Life's normality had just ended.


	5. Circle Of Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy  
> In my mind, can't rewind  
> Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy  
> All the time, that's my life"  
> ~  
> 'Dizzy' by MISSIO

Dempsey woke up feeling tired and sick, yet still awake enough to walk around Richtofen's house. He left the spare bedroom - which appeared to have been remarkably neat and tidy until Dempsey stumbled into the room late at night after partying for several hours - and walked downstairs into the living room, where Richtofen was watching a program on the television.

 

"Good morning, I hope you slept well!" With a bright and cheerful smile, Richtofen looked away from the screen and stared at Dempsey. The floor of the living room was covered with notes, obviously torn from a notepad. "I'm watching a fashion show and making notes on what I wish to wear. Care to join me?" Dempsey considered joining him, but quickly changed his mind.

 

"No thanks, I'm going to try actually do some work today." He replied with a small laugh, "Speaking of which, did you ever hear back from Takeo and Nikolai?" Richtofen sighed disappointedly and replied,

 

"Not yet. I shall take the lack of response to mean they're not very interested." Looking somewhat annoyed, he shrugged and continued writing notes.

 

"Alright..." Dempsey was going to continue speaking, but instead found himself slightly lost in his own mind and Richtofen's eyes. This was the first time he'd ever seen Richtofen without his sunglasses, without his leather jacket, without a bottle of root beer in his hand. His eyes were an icy shade of blue, and his glare was terrifyingly cold. Yet there was something charming about his eyes: the playful energy hiding inside them.

 

"You know, I'm sure I read an article somewhere which explained something along the lines of 'If you stare at someone for long enough, you'll fall in love with them'." Richtofen commented, eyes still focused on the screen in front of him. Letting out an embarrassed laugh, Dempsey glanced nervously at the clock and realised he would soon be late for work.

 

"Ah damn. I need to go get changed and head to work.. Hey, do you have a car I could borrow..?" He asked, determined to finally do a full day of work at his new job. With a small nod, Richtofen gestured towards some car keys lying on a table.

 

"The red one outside. Just bring it back with at least 1% of the car still intact, please." Rolling his eyes, Dempsey thanked Richtofen and ran upstairs to change into more work-appropriate clothes. Once he came back downstairs he quickly grabbed the keys, claimed he would get breakfast on the way to work, and then left.

 

Letting out a tired and bored sigh, Richtofen turned the television off and put his notepad on a table. He would tidy up the messy floor covered in notes later. Picking up his sunglasses and jacket from a chair in the corner of the room, he looked at his phone and opened the one new text he had received a few minutes before Dempsey woke up.

 

"I'm interested. Driving into city now. You know where to go."

 

After typing out a simple "Ok. On the way now.", Richtofen left the house and carefully locked the front door. This was how things always went. It starts off as a small sentence, a word, a text, a whisper to a friend, and it blossoms like a flower; growing to form a circle of lies. He had a terrible feeling he was slowly falling back into that circle, every lie slowly spinning him around, making him too dizzy to keep his life together on his own.


	6. Keep Your Friends Close...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm a liar, I'm a cheat  
> A leech, a thief  
> The outside looks no good and there ain't nothing underneath"  
> ~  
> 'Used To Be My Girl' by The Last Shadow Puppets

Eyes nervously scanning the empty car park, Richtofen slowly opened the car door and stepped out of the vehicle. This certainly was the right place, but perhaps it was the wrong time. As soon as he checked the time on his phone, a black van stopped in front of him and two men came out of the vehicle. With a smile, Richtofen greeted them.

 

"Takeo and Nikolai... My goodness, it's been a long time." He didn't give them any time to reply before he continued talking. "Nikolai, you've been drinking again. Takeo, who on Earth made that suit? It's incredibly well-made, it must have cost a lot!" Adjusting his tie, Takeo laughed quietly.

 

"Thank you, I hand-made this suit for myself. Nikolai and I run a small clothes shop together; I make everything, he fetches materials and such for me. Sometimes he talks to customers too." Nikolai nodded, loosening his scarf a little as his body adapted to the warm temperature of the city. Richtofen noticed this small movement.

 

"I take it your shop is on the edge of the city?" Takeo appeared surprised, before laughing and smiling.

 

"That's right! I'm guessing you noticed from: my text saying 'into', which would imply I was outside of the city... the look of tiredness upon my face, obviously from sitting in traffic for hours - a common occurrence on the edge of the city. Oh, and Nikolai's discomfort as his body slowly notices the cool mountain air he's used to has been replaced by warm and polluted city air." With a smug grin on his face, Richtofen nodded. They were both excellent at noticing small details, unlike Nikolai and Dempsey, but this often led to them failing to notice emotional and moral details.

 

"Anyway, let's discuss business: This job would put you in charge of finances for my business, keeping track of how much we gain and how much we spend. This kind of information is essential. Seeing as it usually just involves computers, documents, and graphs, you'll be able to work from home quite often - so your clothes shop can still be open for business, even while you're working for me." With a small glance at Nikolai, Takeo thought about Richtofen's offer. After a long silence, they both agreed to accept the job.

 

"Wonderful!" Richtofen exclaimed, leaning in to shake Takeo's hand. Noticing Nikolai was not looking, Takeo whispered bitterly:

 

"You still owe me." Following these words, he turned away and entered the van he had arrived in. Nikolai smiled at Richtofen and climbed into the passenger seat of the van shortly before Takeo began driving away.

 

With a small shrug, Richtofen watched the van disappear around a corner. He was used to Takeo being so cold and collected, and Nikolai drunkenly following everyone around. At least they were working for him now. _At least._


	7. Home Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I got you a job in the city now  
> But what you want isn't what you found,  
> Such a frown"  
> ~  
> 'Job In The City' by Red Vox

Dempsey had been working for hours, and it had certainly been a challenging day. He wanted to go home, eat some food, and fall asleep while watching the television. Remembering his apartment had recently been taken away from him, he sighed and banished the comforting thoughts of home from his mind.

 

A few minutes passed, and he was finally allowed to leave the skyscraper in which he now worked. It was hard to not be amazed by it; even Dempsey was impressed at the height of the building. Listening to some rock music on the radio, he drove back to Richtofen's house in the car he'd been allowed to borrow.

 

"Hey! I'm home!" He announced upon entering the house, "And the car's still intact!" Richtofen ran over to him and hugged him tightly.

 

"Well done on your first day of work!" Smiling brightly, he seemed to be incredibly proud of Dempsey. Not wanting to make the situation awkward, he ended the hug as quickly as he could.

 

"Thanks. I'm sure I still have a lot to learn though." Not used to receiving praise, a nervous but sweet smile spread across his face. Richtofen noticed the nervousness and laughed quietly.

 

"Oh, nonsense. Today you did wonderfully. You should be proud of yourself." He stated, walking away from Dempsey and resuming the film he had left paused.

 

"Maybe to celebrate me doing so well on my first day, we could go out and party..." Dempsey suggested, knowing Richtofen would definitely agree with that suggestion.

 

"Sounds good to me!" Was the cheer of approval from Richtofen, "And perhaps I could invite some people to join us..?" Dempsey looked at him curiously.

 

"Yeah, sure, but.. they're not dangerous criminals, are they?" He asked, a very noticeable sound of concern in his voice. Richtofen laughed and grinned confidently at Dempsey.

 

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get along wonderfully. In fact, I believe you'll all have a lot in common." This statement made him more concerned, but the grin on Richtofen's face made him feel strangely comfortable, as if he was sure everything would be alright.


	8. Vague Jealousy And The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And so I fall in love just a little ol' little bit  
> Every day with someone new"  
> ~  
> 'Someone New' by Hozier

Upon entering the club, Dempsey was surprised to see Takeo and Nikolai waiting at the bar. Richtofen watched as they discussed their lives. He didn't want to interrupt the conversation or change the topic, so he quietly picked up the bottle of root beer he had ordered at the bar and walked away to a seat near the dance floor.

 

Takeo and Nikolai stayed at the bar, chatting and drinking. Dempsey left the conversation and walked over to Richtofen, laughing quietly at a joke made by Nikolai.

 

"Can't believe you actually got them to travel into the city, sounds like Takeo really loves living outside the city..." His sentence trailed off towards the end as he noticed Richtofen was acting odd. He looked slightly annoyed and vaguely jealous.

 

"You good?" Adjusting his sunglasses so they completely covered his eyes, Richtofen nodded.

 

  
"Of course! Of course! Just... thinking." Quickly replacing his jealous frown with an amused smile, he watched Dempsey sit down next to him.

 

"Dempsey, is there any chance you can... keep a secret?" Lowering his voice to little more than a whisper, he shuffled closer to Dempsey. Quickly looking around to make sure nobody else was listening, he shared the truth about why he gave all his old friends new jobs.

 

"I'm having some trouble working out why I'm not making as much money as I used to. I think someone is trying to ruin my business. But whoever it is might be working for me, destroying my work from the inside. So, you and the others need to keep an eye on every document, every note, every email, every word, and find who or what is causing this amount of financial damage." With a sigh, Dempsey nodded.

 

"Really? That's the old Richtofen I know. Nice to meet you again." They both laughed and smiled, eventually moving onto more silly and comedic topics. Takeo and Nikolai had already left, but Richtofen and Dempsey kept talking.

 

Eventually too much time passed, and they both returned to Richtofen's house, ridiculously tired. Dempsey hesitated for a second before running over to Richtofen and hugging him.

 

"Thanks for a great night. Your secret's safe with me. Goodnight." Dempsey mumbled, allowing the hug to last longer than he would usually be happy with. Richtofen was surprised by Dempsey's suddenly cheerfulness, as he was so used to seeing the man being grumpy and vaguely sad. After replying with a small 'goodnight', Richtofen entered his bedroom and slept peacefully until the morning. His dreams were strange, but one theme kept re-appearing. _Richtofen was in love._


	9. Time To Reflect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'll never live  
> Up to your  
> Expectations"  
> ~  
> 'Xpectations' by Unloved

Richtofen stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror. His face was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and he had a dark red scar under his right eye. Letting out a small yawn, he tried to smile at the tired face staring at him. Despite being awake for several hours, he hadn't left his bedroom. The door opened slightly, Dempsey curiously glancing into the room.

 

"Hey. Thought you woke up a while ago, didn't want to bother you though. I'm heading to work soon, you want me to pick anything up at the shops? The fridge is pretty empty." With a bright smile, Dempsey walked over to the window next to Richtofen and opened the curtains, letting light flood into the dark room.

 

"Uh... Just a couple of pizzas, same as the ones I already have in the fridge please. I don't really cook much but... feel free to buy ingredients and stuff if you want to do some cooking, I don't mind." Richtofen seemed rather surprised; he couldn't quite get used to having another person in the house, even if Dempsey was an old friend.

 

"Alright! I better be on my way, don't want to be late for work." He laughed, full of happiness and energy. Watching him leave the room, a small smile spread across Richtofen's lips.

 

Seeing Dempsey laughing and smiling again felt wonderful, especially after seeing how grumpy and sad he could normally be. That happy feeling carried Richtofen away from the mirror and into the living room, where he found Dempsey's phone lying on a table. The screen suddenly lit up, displaying a text message.

 

"Mind checking that for me?" Dempsey asked, quickly finishing his breakfast.

 

"Not long left now. You're still in debt." Was the ominous message, which Richtofen hesitated to read out loud. Before he could begin speaking, Dempsey ran past and quickly picked the phone up from the table.

 

"I didn't realise what time it was! I ought to get going, I'll take the red car again if that's alright." With a confused nod of approval, Richtofen threw the car keys to Dempsey and watched as he left the house.

 

Constantly re-reading the message in his mind, Richtofen sighed and picked up his jacket. If Dempsey was in debt to someone, Richtofen was going to find out who it was.


	10. This Is Not My Beautiful House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "We talked about making it  
> I'm sorry that you never made it"  
> ~  
> 'Wires' by The Neighbourhood

Rain poured down from the clouds, making Richtofen quite hesitant to leave his car. He had driven to Dempsey's old apartment. Whoever Dempsey was in debt to had the power to take his own home away from him, and Richtofen had a feeling Dempsey was lying about the debt being paid off. Slowly removing his sunglasses, he stared at the building. Looking around his friend's previous home felt like an invasion of privacy, but finding information related to the debt now appeared to be necessary to protect Dempsey's life. Richtofen remembered the rather ominous reply he was given when he asked Dempsey about who he was in debt to:

 

"Someone who doesn't fear consequences. Someone powerful." Those disturbing words echoed around Richtofen's mind and sent small chills down his spine. The entire situation seemed dangerous, and the text message Dempsey received before going to work seemed vaguely threatening. From his own personal experience with being in debt to dangerous people, Richtofen felt as if everything was leading to a life-threatening situation.

 

It was remarkably cold inside the apartment, and the sudden lack of warmth caused Richtofen to shiver. He moved quickly through the living room and the kitchen, searching for any kind of clue which would guide him towards the identity of this mysterious person. There was a small piece of paper on a table, with several phone numbers listed on it. Richtofen recognised his own number on the list, but he was clueless about the others.

 

Eventually, he found a calendar which had fallen onto the floor. Certain days were marked with a bright red dot, but Richtofen had no idea why. Gathering together the piece of paper and the calendar, he used his phone to take a few quick photos of them. In his quest to gain more information, he began searching Dempsey's bedroom. Being in such a personal place without an invitation felt incredibly mischievous, and Richtofen couldn't resist giggling about it.

 

Other than the calendar and the note, there was nothing of importance in the apartment. With a disappointed sigh, Richtofen checked his phone for any missed texts. Suddenly, he could hear a strange tapping noise. Looking around for the source of the noise, he slowly realised it was the sound of footsteps. The sound was getting louder. Richtofen searched for another way out of the apartment, but the front door was the only way out. Slowly, the door opened. A voice cried out.

 

"Richtofen?! What are you doing here?"


	11. A Conversation To Keep In Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Got your reasons, got your code, and I know that you think it'll never change   
> Take the time to know yourself, not a clone or a fraction of someone else"   
> ~  
> 'We Had A Little Talk' by Red Vox

Looking quite surprised, Dempsey stared at Richtofen. Trying to think of a good way to explain the situation, Richtofen stuttered and struggled to speak. Usually he would've shrugged and thought of a good lie to cover up the truth, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do such a thing to Dempsey. Sighing frustratedly, he sat on the cold floor and spoke quickly, expressing his concern for Dempsey's safety.

 

"I know I've invaded your privacy, and I understand if you can't forgive my actions. I was concerned and..." he looked up and smiled sadly, "... Since you lied about the debt being paid off, I had a feeling you didn't want my help."

 

Richtofen always did silly things like this. Being angry at him was a waste of time and energy, so Dempsey just shrugged and sat down next to him.

 

"Hey, its fine. You're forgiven. I thought I could deal with things myself, but I eventually just... couldn't. So I've been trying to ignore the debt, hoping it'll magically disappear. Besides, I didn't want you getting involved. I know you can look after yourself, but I don't want you to get hurt." Worry filled his voice, and Richtofen smiled gently at his words.

 

"But that's why I want to be involved." He replied, still smiling, "I was worried about your safety. I'll be fine, I've looked after myself in worse situations with no help at all." Once Richtofen was part of something, there was no way to get rid of him.

 

Dempsey hesitated slightly. He wasn't used to people worrying about him. Choosing his words carefully, he tried to explain the situation to Richtofen.

 

"The thing is, the person I'm in debt to is... online. I've never seen them in real life, but they're almost everywhere on the Internet. Even on my phone. I know you saw that text." Pausing to catch his breath, Dempsey continued speaking,

 

"I bought a small item a while ago, but the original owner mysteriously disappeared before the sale was definitely finished. Odd messages started coming in, saying I had to pay more fees for the item to be delivered to me. I couldn't afford a few fees, so I got a small loan. Coincidentally, the person who gave me the loan was the one behind the mysterious messages. They started making small threats when I pointed out how ridiculous the situation was, and so far each event they threatened me with has happened. Now they're saying I'm out of time to pay them and I... I'm scared. I really am." Finally done speaking, he began crying. Richtofen gently hugged him, letting his tears soak into the fake fur on Richtofen's jacket. Unsure how to comfort him, Richtofen whispered gently:

 

"I won't let them do anything to you. You're my best friend, Dempsey. We can get through this together, I'm sure of it."


	12. Sometimes The Shortest Conversations Are The Best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You move through the room  
> Like breathing was easy  
> If someone believed me  
> They would be  
> As in love with you as I am"  
> ~  
> 'Angels' by The xx

Waking up was always the most difficult part of Richtofen's morning. He looked around slowly, his eyes suddenly fixated on a small piece of paper on the floor. Yawning quietly, he picked up the note and read it.

 

"Remembered this was in my apartment. You've probably already checked it out but I thought you might be interested. Glad to have you on my side." The handwriting was obviously Dempsey's. Slowly examining the list of phone numbers on the note, Richtofen questioned the events of the previous day. He had been at Dempsey's old apartment, but now he was back at his house again. Judging by the scent of cheap alcohol and the feeling of extreme tiredness, Richtofen had been partying and drinking something other than root beer for once.

 

"Did I do anything very silly last night? If I did, please spare me the details." Without even bothering to say 'good morning', he marched into the kitchen and began interrogating Dempsey.

 

"Other than rambling about fashion and trying to flirt with me? Nope, you were fine last night." This response caused Richtofen to blush and almost choke on the glass of milk he was drinking.

 

"Well, certainly sounds like something I'd do." He laughed, hoping Dempsey wouldn't notice the look of slight embarrassment on his face. With a grin, Dempsey smugly replied.

 

"Well I mean, really, who could ever resist me?" Letting out a small chuckle, he winked at Richtofen playfully. Before Richtofen could giggle and think of a witty response, Dempsey received a phone call and ran out of the room to answer it.

 

Leaning against the fridge, Richtofen sighed gently. He had missed those silly little conversations. For two whole years he'd been waiting to see Dempsey again, always too nervous to send a message. Those two years had felt like two lifetimes, but that was alright. Richtofen would happily wait for a million lifetimes just to see Dempsey again.


	13. Phone Call For You, Mr. Blossom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You can't lose  
> You make me offers that I can't refuse  
> You keep telling pretty lies  
> You're tired with the truth  
> Only you're killing me with your  
> Propaganda"  
> ~  
> 'Propaganda' by Muse

As much as Richtofen adored people, he also enjoyed being alone. Especially when he needed to think. Dempsey had been called back into his old office due to a recent break-in, in which several important documents were stolen. Nobody ever paid attention to thefts in the city, so seeing a break-in being genuinely investigated was a rare and odd sight. Richtofen shrugged and looked at the list of phone numbers he had received from Dempsey. Calling them one by one seemed rather dull, and any criminals would immediately know someone was trying to find them. Instead of calling them, he looked for information about them on the internet. A majority of the numbers were simply telemarketing scams, but a few of them had interesting results.

 

"Aggressive man called, asking if someone named 'Mr. Blossom' was at home." One website user claimed, receiving 7 comments from people who had also experienced that call. Out of pure curiosity, Richtofen typed several of the listed phone numbers into his internet browser, and added 'Mr. Blossom' as a necessary part of the results. Each number had at least one result, all of them making the same claim about 'Mr. Blossom'.

 

Richtofen continued investigating the numbers and 'Mr. Blossom', but soon began running out of results. He sighed and looked at the clock. Dempsey had been gone for several hours now, what on Earth was taking so long?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about how short these two recent chapters have been, I've had a terrible cold all week and have only just begun recovering from it, so I've been too exhausted to heavily focus on writing. Oh, by the way: Happy Pride Month! :)


	14. Do You Have Something To Say?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And I can handle the truth  
> I can cope with whatever you're holding back  
> No need to sugar coat"  
> ~  
> 'Break It To Me' by Muse

There was nothing left to say, it was obvious Dempsey had become the main suspect in the investigation. An old colleague had seen him talking to Richtofen, and now all of his old co-workers despised him.

 

"Doesn't look good, does it? You magically get a brilliant new job, next thing we see you're being all friendly with your new boss... Makes it seem like something dodgy is going on." Some people still cared enough to point out why others had such hostile feelings, a majority of the hate coming from envy.

 

"It's nothing dodgy. He's an old friend, he wanted to do something nice." Dempsey sighed, exhausted from the constant questions about the break-in and the cold attitudes of people he thought were his friends. The person he was talking to laughed heartily, coughing slightly at the end.

 

"Nothing he does is nice. Trust me. I used to write newspaper articles about popular businessmen, from rumours and gossip to facts and crimes. I tried to cover everything. When checking a fact for an article, I found information on Richtofen's life from before he became the businessman we know today." Tired but interested, Dempsey quickly spoke up.

 

"What did he do before the business?" The eagerness to discover more information about Richtofen did not go unnoticed.

 

"He graduated from medical school, working incredibly hard to become a doctor. But then he wanted to do something fun and fancy, and went on to become a fashion model. This continued for a while until the family business was passed onto him. From what I heard, he adored being a model. It was the kind of attention and fame he loves." Glancing at Dempsey's fascinated expression, the person grinned.

 

"Huh? What the hell are you grinning at?" Dempsey asked, his expression suddenly becoming puzzled but judgemental. The faint blush spreading across his face easily answered his question.

 

"Acting all friendly with him... Being remarkably interested in his life... Heck, your face really lit up when I mentioned his name... Dare I say the grumpy little American idiot is in love with Edward Richtofen?" They both burst into laughter, Dempsey still blushing. He smiled gently and nodded.

 

"Hey, you can say what you want to, buddy. But I've got to be entirely honest... It feels good to be in love."


	15. Smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You're so funny  
> And they love everything that you do  
> And since you're happy  
> You could never be blue"  
> ~  
> 'I'm So Happy' by Red Vox

Dempsey drove around the city for a few minutes. He was listening to the radio, singing along loudly with a huge smile on his face. It had been years since he last felt this happy. He decided to visit Takeo and Nikolai, still remembering where they lived. As soon as he arrived, Nikolai opened the door to the small house and waved at him cheerfully. It was warm inside the house, and smelt vaguely like lavender.

 

"We're trying out a new scented candle to hide the scent of Nikolai's vodka." Takeo laughed, walking past carrying a large stack of different fabrics. Noticing the tiredness on Takeo's face, Dempsey took a large amount of the fabrics and carried them for him. Nikolai watched closely and opened another bottle of vodka.

 

"We have had a lot of orders for clothes recently. Takeo's been working very hard to get everything done. I think he is working too hard, he needs a break." Obviously Nikolai thought he was whispering, but he was not. Takeo glared at him and quickly replied.

 

"You're very welcome to help out, if you think I need a break." Moving quickly and fluidly, Takeo picked up a piece of fabric and began comparing it to some coloured pieces of paper he'd left lying on a nearby table.

 

"Think that one works pretty well with that type of red." Dempsey commented, also comparing the fabric with the colours. Normally he wouldn't say anything, out of fear of looking like an idiot, but he was feeling good today.

 

"You're right. I suppose Richtofen had turned you into quite the fashion expert?" Laughing gently, Takeo picked up another piece of the same fabric and began measuring it. With a slight blush spreading across his face, Dempsey nodded.

 

"Well, he has that kind of impact on people." He still had a huge smile on his face, and everyone noticed it. Richtofen had obviously changed Dempsey's life, and he certainly made Dempsey happy. Remembering Richtofen would be at home, waiting for him to return, Dempsey quickly sent a text explaining where he was and saying he'd be home late. Nikolai was about to say something, but he was interrupted by Dempsey's phone ringing.

 

"Oh geez, can't the man just send a text back? Why does he have to call..." Sighing, Dempsey answered his phone. Nikolai began helping Takeo with his work.

 

"Hey, couldn't you have just sent a text-" He began, but then quickly stopped speaking. His smile completely disappeared. Breathing heavily and shakily he choked out a question.

 

"What do you mean he's been in an accident?"


	16. What Will Be, Will Be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Que Sera, Sera  
> Whatever will be, will be  
> The future's not ours to see"  
> ~  
> 'Que Sera Sera' by Doris Day

Arriving at the hospital didn't feel real, it felt like a horrible nightmare. Dempsey could barely hold onto the one strand of reality preventing him from being convinced it was a dream. Takeo and Nikolai had agreed to come with him, and together they waited to hear the news about Richtofen's health. The feeling of sadness and fear covered the room heavily, allowing no space for hope to sneak in. Minutes became hours, but they kept waiting. Slowly becoming lost in his own mind, Dempsey stared at the floor and began to cry. He felt guilty, as if his feelings towards Richtofen had caused the accident. Takeo left the room for a few minutes, returning with a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

 

"Here. Richtofen wouldn't want you to risk your own wellbeing because you're worrying about his." With a kind smile on his face, Takeo passed the food to Dempsey. After saying some comforting words to each other, the room filled with silence, and the waiting continued. Dempsey eventually spoke, even though his voice was quiet and nervous.

 

"Apparently it was a car accident. He just... crashed. Just a random incident, nothing suspicious or anything like that." He rubbed his eyes and sighed, trying to escape his distressed thoughts. Nikolai opened a small bag and pulled out a large bottle.

 

"Would you like a bit of vodka? Just, you know, a little bit to make you smile again." Hesitating slightly, Dempsey grabbed the bottle and took a small sip. With a look of slight disgust, he passed the bottle back to Nikolai. They all laughed at Dempsey's reaction and cheered up slightly, but their happiness disappeared as soon as a doctor walked in. Dempsey lost his grip on reality, and struggled to pay attention to any of the words being said. He just wanted to see Richtofen. He just wanted him to be alright. They all began walking down a corridor, moving fluidly through large groups of patients, nurses, and doctors. Every step Dempsey took reminded him of Richtofen. Every movement brought an old memory back into his mind. One memory stuck with him, as if it was walking alongside him; Richtofen singing one line of a song he adored.

 

_"Que Sera, Sera."_


	17. Everything Reminds Me Of Him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You make me sick  
> Because I adore you so"  
> ~  
> 'Space Dementia' by Muse

Everything sounded distant and muffled, like Dempsey was listening to the world from the bottom of the ocean. Somebody mentioned Richtofen being unconscious, and somebody else was discussing the possibility of serious internal injuries. Dempsey simply stared at the sleeping angel in front of him. Richtofen looked peaceful and calm, the complete opposite of Dempsey. Takeo and Nikolai were asking questions about the accident, but nobody had a definite answer. A doctor eventually asked them to leave, mumbling something about running more scans on Richtofen.

 

The day was ceasing to exist, every moment becoming more blurred and confused in Dempsey's mind. He looked around. Takeo and Nikolai were talking to each other in the kitchen. Richtofen's kitchen. They were in his house. Sounding upset and tired, Takeo finally spoke to Dempsey.

 

"Are you... okay?" He whispered, trying to not alarm Dempsey. These words finally brought him out of his confusion, and he looked around as if he was lost.

 

"Oh god. We saw him at the hospital, didn't we? He was... So peaceful. I.. I feel sick.." His hands began shaking and his eyes filled with tears, suddenly incredibly aware of his surroundings.

 

"Everything reminds... Reminds me of him. I feel like I... I... I should've done MORE. I could've... done... I couldn't have done anything, could I?" As if seeking advice from some higher power, Dempsey stared at the ceiling with wide eyes and a broken expression on his face. Takeo stared silently, letting him vent out every emotion he was feeling. Trying to fill the sudden gap in the conversation, Takeo spoke again.

 

"You may still be able to do something." Dempsey looked at Takeo as if he had just revealed the secret to eternal life.

 

"How, and... and what?!" His words sounded eager and alive, but his eyes looked dull and lifeless. Even Nikolai, who had not yet contributed to the conversation, seemed interested. With a slightly nervous sigh, Takeo began to answer his question.

 

"It's a long story, but... There's something serious you need to know."


	18. Time To Tell The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I want you to help me  
> Tell me  
> What I need to know"  
> ~  
> 'Tell Me' by Red Vox

Takeo sighed calmly and spoke as slowly as he could, allowing Dempsey to understand every word.

 

"I know you are in some financial trouble. Richtofen is in trouble too. Your situations may be slightly connected, and I think Richtofen knows. He's told me everything, and... normally I would keep his secrets, but I can't stay silent about this." Dempsey nodded, trying to piece everything together in his mind. Takeo continued,

 

"Richtofen's business branched out shortly after the group was disbanded, and he decided server hosting would be a good business venture. It was a terrible idea. They made large amounts of money, but weren't earning enough to keep everything working smoothly. So, Richtofen doubled the cost of the servers. People still paid, but... I believe a disgruntled employee made a purposeful error with financial calculations, and caused the business to lose a majority of its money." This was entirely new information to Dempsey. Richtofen had never told him about server hosting before, but maybe the 'purposeful error' was the reason for that. He always kept things like that as secret as possible.

 

"He panicked and shut down all the servers, which caused him to slowly regain all the lost funds. But this action upset a large amount of people. Considering everything which has happened recently, I have a feeling the 'disgruntled employee' is still angry, and may be using you as a way to hurt Richtofen. It may be their fault Richtofen is in hospital. I... don't enjoy saying this, but his feelings towards you are his weakness; it would break his heart if anything bad ever happened to you, so seeing you suffer in debt... " Those words stuck in Dempsey's brain like an arrow, and refused to leave. 'His feelings towards you'. He almost began crying again. Takeo smiled comfortingly and resumed speaking,

 

"The point is, if we track the online information of the person you're in debt to, we may be able to find out if they're entirely random or connected to the events in the past. But it'll be a long and tiring process, and we will require access to a majority of your personal online information." That was going to be an issue. Dempsey looked concerned, and began talking in a rather panicked tone of voice.

 

"How personal? Like... usernames and passwords?" He asked, his eyes wide and alarmed.

 

"Usernames, passwords, browser history, and possibly more." Dempsey wanted to say no, but the thought of Richtofen suffering in hospital was the push he needed to agree to Takeo's idea. Hesitating for a second, he finally answered Takeo.

 

"Fine. I don't care how personal it gets, just as long as we find this person."


	19. And Then, Things Got Better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "A rip in the tether to knock me off course  
> Is it for better or is it for worse?  
> I don't know"  
> ~  
> 'Rub Your Eyes' by Red Vox

Everything felt painful. Richtofen opened his eyes carefully, checking his body for any obvious damage. His chest felt tight, his legs were sore and bruised, and his arms were too tired to move. The world moved rapidly around him, and he didn't know how to slow it down. Eventually, things began to calm down, and he was told there were no serious or permanent injuries. He was relieved to hear those words; it was nice to have some good news. Someone returned his phone to him, somehow it had escaped the scene entirely unscathed. Immediately, he called Dempsey.

 

  
"Unfortunately, I survived." A mixture of crying and laughing echoed through the phone, with Nikolai contributing by letting out a drunken cheer. Dempsey stuttered and struggled to find the right words, finally replying with:

 

  
"I'm so goddamn happy. We were so worried, y'know. I... I thought we'd lost you. Thought I'd lost you." Richtofen could hear the tiredness in his voice, and sighed gently.

 

  
"Nope. I regret to inform you, my dear Dempsey, you can never lose me. But really, you ought to get some rest. You've probably been neglecting your health, haven't you? I can hear it in your voice. Go look after yourself, and I'll contact you when I can." He was about to hang up, but Dempsey suddenly asked a question.

 

  
"How long are you going to be there?" Pausing for a moment, Richtofen shrugged.

 

  
"Not sure, but I'll be back as soon as possible. Now, go look after yourself." As soon as he was done speaking, he opened the News app on his phone. His face was on the front page of nearly every news website. The noise of reporters and photographers outside leaked into the hospital and echoed through the building. Richtofen had never experienced that level of popularity before. News was travelling fast, but it was being suspiciously fast. Who recognised him and reported the incident to various news sources? He always stayed behind the scenes, even when he didn't want to. But more importantly, _why had so many reporters shown up for such a small event?_


	20. Way Of Showing Affection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Danger burning high  
> Where there's desire  
> There is fire  
> And it's ours"  
> ~  
> 'Danger' by Unloved

Time passed slowly, Dempsey's chaotic feelings of distress turning into tired sadness. Takeo and Nikolai had gone back to their house, allowing Dempsey to have some space to calm down and relax. He was standing outside Richtofen's bedroom, contemplating whether or not to disturb the privacy of the temporarily uninhabited room. Taking a deep, shaky breath, he opened the door and walked into the room, his mind full of troubled thoughts. There were so many details he'd never noticed before.

 

The carpet was fluffy and pink, similar to the fake fur adored by Richtofen. Even the blankets and pillows on his ridiculously large bed were fluffy. Dempsey couldn't resist smiling. There were small picture frames on the walls, most of them were photos of Richtofen and Dempsey, from their old days of heists and chaos. Running his fingers gently across one of the frames, Dempsey sighed. He quickly moved his hand away, his eyes now focused on something else.

 

"What the hell..?" He mumbled to the empty room, noticing a piece of paper on the floor. There were words written on it, all written in bright pink ink.

 

"I have a bad feeling about today. If anything happens, check under the bed." Dropping the note as soon as he had finished reading it, Dempsey crouched and looked under the bed. There was a large whiteboard, covered in writing and scribbles. Finding a box of pens labelled 'Whiteboard', he pulled the board out from its hiding place and picked up the pens. Quickly glancing at the writing Richtofen had already left on the board, Dempsey made several additions.

 

Every word written down was connected to Dempsey's mysterious debt. The name 'Mr. Blossom' was written at the top of the board in bold red letters. Hesitantly, Dempsey added the information Takeo had told him about Richtofen's business. Amazed at how well certain detail connected together, Dempsey laughed and stepped back from the board. He accidentally stepped too far back and fell over, landing on Richtofen's soft bed. A large smile began spreading across his normally serious face as he recalled how Richtofen had allowed him to, after explaining the debt issue, cry into the gentle fake fur of Richtofen's jacket. Dempsey had never noticed before but small acts of kindness, such as providing a place to stay or a shoulder to cry on, were Richtofen's way of showing affection. Suddenly feeling rather relaxed, Dempsey closed his eyes and drifted away into a deep sleep. He was too far into his dreams to hear his phone ringing.


	21. Unanswered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You must've known the storm was coming  
> When the clouds appeared"  
> ~  
> 'The Tempest' by Pendulum

Takeo snarled and gently placed his phone on a nearby table, trying to contain his frustration.

 

"Is Dempsey busy, or is he ignoring me?" He mumbled, letting out a defeated sigh. All he could do now was wait for a reply, sending more than five text messages and several missed phone calls seemed extreme. But maybe the situation was serious enough to excuse that kind of behaviour.

 

The television repeated the same headline until it felt meaningless.

 

**"Edward Richtofen, involved in financial scandal, hospitalised after car crash"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter. This was a part I wanted to add to the previous chapter, but I couldn't find a good way to make it fit. The next chapter will be longer though!


	22. The Return Of A Broken Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "If I loved you less  
> I'd be alive   
> If I loved you more   
> I'd fade away"  
> ~  
> 'If' by Unloved

Richtofen was confused. Everyone walking past him avoided making direct eye contact with him. He was told it was safe for him to leave the hospital, as long as he had someone to look after him until his injuries were fully healed. Dempsey probably wouldn't mind. Nikolai and Takeo were always happy to visit Richtofen. He suddenly stopped walking. Why did he always rely on others? How long had he been walking for? Where was he? He snapped back to reality so suddenly he felt faint and sick, and the world spun around him. Words echoed through his head, lights flashed in his eyes, hands dragged him backwards as he walked. Reporters surrounded him like vultures, pecking at the air he breathed.

 

"Go away..." Richtofen mumbled, unable to find enough energy in his body for angry shouting. Dragging himself home, most reporters gave up and began walking away. Very few of them continued following him, and they all abandoned their quest for information as soon as they saw Richtofen's house. Unable to remember where his keys were, he gently knocked on the door and hoped Dempsey was still there. The door opened slowly, revealing a rather tired and messy version of Dempsey. His hair looked like a bird's nest, he had cereal crumbs on his t-shirt, and he was covered in pink fluff from Richtofen's bedroom. Richtofen couldn't resist smiling as his appearance:

 

"Oh, good morning." He laughed, walking into the house. Dempsey blinked a few times, his expression looking rather blank and emotionless. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Dempsey smiled and tears filled his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Richtofen and hugged him tightly. Smiling gently, Richtofen ended the silence.

 

"I missed you too." He whispered softly, letting out a small chuckle. Dempsey finally let go of Richtofen, quickly apologising for how tight the hug was. It'd break his heart if he ever hurt Richtofen, even if it was accidental. He quickly brushed the crumbs off his clothes and began speaking.

 

"There's a lot of stuff you need to catch up on, but... it could probably wait until you feel a bit better." Smiling nervously, Dempsey wasn't sure if explaining everything to Richtofen immediately was a good idea. He was already stressed and tired, so Dempsey didn't want to add to that. Richtofen thought for a few seconds, now concerned about what he'd missed.

 

"I think it can wait. I need to sleep." He remembered the pink fluff on Dempsey's clothes and laughed quietly,

 

"You're welcome to join me." Richtofen joked, making Dempsey laugh as they said 'goodnight' to each other. Closing his bedroom door, he sighed softly. He was just joking, but he couldn't help wondering: what if they both wished it was more than just a joke?


	23. Every Conversation Is Important

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And I'll hide from the world   
> Behind a broken frame  
> And I'll burn forever,  
> I can't face the shame"  
> ~  
> 'Sunburn' by Muse

The morning began with a loud, frustrated sigh from Richtofen. Takeo had emailed a large document to him, explaining the 'financial scandal' which was now on the front page of every important social media website. According to several popular news sources, a few companies working closely with Richtofen's business were unhappy with Richtofen's actions: hiring old friends with questionable qualifications, partying until early in the morning, and just being generally absent from work.

 

"It's frustrating to see these statements about me, but... It doesn't seem to be incredibly serious. I expected more." Richtofen shrugged, glancing at the tired Dempsey stood by his side, reading the document with him. Noticing the sudden look of concern on Dempsey's face as he continued reading, Richtofen returned his focus to the document. The next paragraph explained how the companies planned to stop working with Richtofen, which would cause his business to lose significant amounts of funding.

 

"No. They can't do that. They need us and more importantly, we need them. It's an empty threat, it has to be." Trying to think of ways to regain respect and support, Richtofen paused for a moment and realised something.

 

"How do they know we're friends? I never told them, it's not in any documents... There's no way they could know... I'm sure none of us told them... Unless someone else found out and told them." Dempsey's eyes widened slightly and he frowned, staring at Richtofen for a second before speaking.

 

"Someone at my old workplace knows. I just mentioned it as part of a conversation, didn't think it was incredibly important... I remember I was talking to them after the break-in. They knew a lot about you." Somehow, Richtofen's face turned a shade paler than it usually was. He hated strangers knowing anything about him. At least this now brought a new piece of information to light, and information was exactly what Richtofen needed.


	24. Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm trapped and my back is up against the wall  
> I see no solution or exit out"  
> ~  
> 'Pressure' by Muse

Bright lights and loud music were not Takeo's idea of a 'good time'. He preferred sunlight and silence. But, he didn't mind putting aside his opinions to help a friend in need of help. His eyes scanned the room, searching for familiar faces, until he finally found his target. After searching a slightly shady side of the Internet, Takeo had discovered some information linked to the break-in at Dempsey's workplace. Apparently the police had enough evidence to arrest a young businessman working for a completely unrelated company, but the case was suddenly closed and nobody was punished for the crime. One quick Internet search later, Takeo knew the man's name and appearance. He recognised the man from when Richtofen had dragged everyone to the club to meet up and discuss their lives.

 

Slowly approaching the man, Takeo acted calm and casual, trying to not alarm him. Suddenly, the man turned around, and stared at Takeo with a rather shocked expression. After a minute of painfully awkward silence, the man ran as fast as he could, exiting the building and sprinting down the street. He was surprisingly athletic, but Takeo knew the layout of the city better than him. After taking a few shortcuts, the man was finally in Takeo's line of sight, and the gap between them began slowly closing.

 

The man panicked and ran into a dead-end. He looked tired and terrified, as if he had been fearing this moment for years.

 

"What do you want? Money? Because you can have it! I don't care! Just... Please leave me alone." Whimpering slightly as if he was about to cry, the man lowered the volume of his voice and began emptying his pockets. Large amounts of money fell onto the ground, accidentally followed by the man's phone. It fell to the ground and landed unharmed, and Takeo slowly moved forward to pick it up. Before he could even put his hands on it, the phone began ringing.

 

It was a phone call from Mr. Blossom.


	25. Love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Got myself a brand new start and  
> Oh no, I screwed it up again  
> Guess I'm staying up all night  
> In my mind but out of sight"  
> ~  
> 'In The Garden' by Red Vox

Dempsey felt as if the entire world was watching him. He told himself everyone would be more interested in Richtofen, but something deep inside his brain kept disagreeing. Making a slightly pained noise, Dempsey sat down on the stairs outside Richtofen's house. There were a few steps leading down into a beautiful garden, which seemed to always remain perfect despite the fact it was always neglected.

 

Maybe that was how Richtofen felt. Beautiful and special, but unloved and unnoticed. Dempsey shrugged quickly and shook the thought away. He was in no position to guess the feelings of the people around him, although for some reason he couldn't bring himself to stop being concerned about Richfofen's feelings. Accepting defeat, he wandered around in his thoughts for a while before being thrown back to reality. Being hit by reality always hurt.

 

Knowing nobody would see him, he covered his face with his hands and cried. Dempsey just wanted to go home. His feelings were confusing and distressing him. Was he in love, or was he just too scared of being lonely? Did he really enjoy living this chaotic life, or did he just enjoy the idea of it?


	26. You Can Run, But You Can't Hide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I caught you saying that you're in control  
> But your wheels are spinning out  
> And now I'm ringing on your telephone  
> But you can't hear me shout"  
> ~  
> 'Telephone' by Red Vox

Frustrated, Takeo let out a noise of anger and almost slammed his head against his desk.

 

"Everything about this person is untraceable. They're good... Too good, to say the least." He was at home again, trying desperately to discover the location of Mr. Blossom. After Takeo had stolen the phone from the man he had been chasing, he began working for hours to track down Mr. Blossom. Wires connected from the phone to Takeo's computer, which he rarely used for anything other than working on taxes and finances. Richtofen wandered around the room, sitting down tiredly in a pile of unused fluffy fabric. Takeo laughed gently as he watched the man sink into the pile with a completely unbothered look on his face. The room had gradually become, as Richtofen called it, 'organised chaos'. Scraps of paper with phone numbers scribbled on them were scattered on the floor, plates which had once carried food on them were now messily stacked on top of each other on a nearby table, and a board which was once decorated with beautiful clothing designs was now covered in theories and ideas.

 

Nikolai walked in, removing the used plates from the room and offering them some more food. Richtofen politely declined his offer. He'd already eaten 3 cheese and ham sandwiches, he was physically incapable of eating any more.

 

"As nice as he is, I feel like he's trying to kill me with sandwiches." Richtofen mumbled to Takeo, dragging himself out of the pile of fabric. Takeo smiled and returned his attention to the phone.

 

"He means well, he just doesn't know how to help us other than by offering food." He replied, "I'm glad I have him around. He cares about me. Always reminding me to eat and sleep when I become too absorbed into my work. Some people just have subtle ways of showing affection for each other. I suppose we're 'some people'." Richtofen nodded gently, listening to Takeo. He walked over to the computer, examining a phone number Takeo was now searching for on the Internet.

 

"I think I completely lack subtlety." He muttered to himself, before speaking louder so Takeo could hear, "Why are you searching for this number? What did you find?" Takeo passed the phone to him, revealing some new information. The phone had received a call on the day of the break-in, from Mr. Blossom. One detail was different though; the call was from a different phone number, not from the one Mr. Blossom had recently used. Unlike the recently used number, Takeo was able to vaguely track the location of this newly discovered phone number.


	27. Running In Circles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Are we running to forget?  
> Are we running from regret?  
> Are we running to forget?  
> 'Cause there's not a lot of common sense"  
> ~  
> 'Running To Forget' by Red Vox

Standing in the cold rain, Dempsey kept his voice as quiet as possible.

 

"I can't see anyone out here. You sure the signal was coming from here?" He whispered into the phone, glancing around to make sure nobody was watching him.

 

Richtofen sighed and typed something into the computer, making a sudden noise of confusion. Working with Takeo, they had tracked the phone number to a specific location; an office in the middle of the city. Yawning sleepily, Dempsey listened to Richtofen's confused noises.

 

"What's wrong?" Takeo asked, his voice full of concern. Some faint noises of movement were heard, followed by a distant snarl of frustration. Annoyed at being unable to see the situation, Dempsey began asking questions.

 

"What's going on? Why do you two sound frustrated?" He could barely hear himself over Takeo and Richtofen mumbling faintly. Nikolai picked up the phone, moving away from the others slightly so he could talk to Dempsey.

 

"I don't quite know what's going on, but apparently the signal isn't just coming from there? That's what they seem to keep saying. They said it keeps moving..." Nikolai's answers only made Dempsey more curious and confused, so he asked to speak to Richtofen instead. A slightly distressed voice greeted Dempsey, surprising him slightly.

 

"What's happened? Is everything ok?" Dempsey immediately asked, hearing the tiredness and sadness in Richtofen's voice.

 

"Something's... wrong. I can't figure out why. The signal just keeps moving all the time. It's at several different locations, and it just keeps... teleporting around..." His voice trailed off, obviously noticing something. He quickly began speaking again.

 

"It's only appearing at certain locations. Dempsey, I'm going to make a map of this and send it to you. I hope you're in the mood for an adventure today."


	28. Calm And Collected..?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "When the coldest year gets colder  
> Where you gonna run?  
> When your heavy heart gets older  
> Did you have your fun?"  
> ~  
> 'Heavy Little Heart' by Red Vox

Stumbling out of Takeo's house, Richtofen inhaled the cold air as if he had been suffocating for hours. It stung his lungs and sent painful chills through his body, making him hunch over and lightly clutch his chest in pain. He wheezed and leaned against a wall, trying to avoid making himself more overwhelmed than he already was.

 

It was time to accept the truth: he was entirely out of his depth. This was beyond anything he'd done previously. Bank robberies now seemed like a dream compared to the nightmare he was now facing. Staring at his shaking hands, he noticed how old and tired he looked. None of his friends were young any more, and neither was he. On the brink of collapsing into tears, Richtofen rubbed his eyes and approached the front door of the house. Leaning slightly on the door, he struggled to find the energy to re-enter the building.

 

"If anyone ends up being in danger, you have nobody to blame but yourself." He thought, slowly pushing the door open. Nikolai was stood near the door and glanced at Richtofen, looking vaguely concerned. Trying to avoid any uncomfortable questions, Richtofen looked away and walked past Nikolai. Everyone was waiting to receive a message from Dempsey, but every minute which passed in silence strengthened an unspoken fear which plagued them all; what if everything suddenly went wrong?


End file.
